


Laghukatha

by Golden_Daughter



Category: Jodhaa-Akbar (2008)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-29 09:03:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18775129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden_Daughter/pseuds/Golden_Daughter
Summary: My collection of Jodhaa Akbar prompt fills that I have written for Tumblr buddies.





	1. School Subjects- Jodhaa

**Author's Note:**

> For @avani

**1\. Private Language**

Jodhaa and Bhai-sa did not need to speak to understand each other. Once glance at Bhai-sa’s face, and Jodhaa  _knows._

Even so, it is fun to pretend to an irate Bhagwan Das that she and Bhai-sa write each other letters in a secret language that’s just random, unreadable squiggles.

Bhai-sa winks at Jodhaa when Bhagwan Das stalks off in a huff.

 

**2\. By the numbers**

Jodhaa always had a good head for numbers. 

When she is the Mughal Malika-e-Hindustan, she laughs at her husband’s hopelessness with figures. Still laughing, she takes charge of the accounts of the Royal Household.

Jalal is very grateful.

 

**3\. The noble art**

Jodhaa did not think that the womanly arts were more noble than that of swordfighting, or indeed, the other way around.

She could find the same joy in both looking at a beautiful painting and at the exquisite clash of steel. 

Neither was one greater, nor the other lesser.

 

**4\. Ghost in the machine**

Jodhaa has often wondered what death was. What happens after death? Is our soul set free, or is it still bound with the bonds of love and family?

Jodhaa hoped that, when she left this world, she and Jalal would still be together, and she would see her entire family happy once more.

 

**5\. The facts of life**

Early into married life, Jodhaa laughed aloud as her mother-in-law attempted a faltering explanation of what was expected of her.

Sobering, she replied, “I know what is expected of me, Mother”. My duty. Or death by poison. Would death be more merciful than life here? Jodhaa did not know then.

Later, the King at her side, she was glad that she had not given up the ghost then.

 

**6\. History repeats**

Salim learned from his father how to treat a woman, learned from his mother the importance of a powerful woman.

He makes sure that, when he marries Mehrunissa, his Noor Jahan, she is held with the same respect that Jodhaa was.


	2. Jodhaa- Despicable Traits; Jalal- Sad thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For @betza_99

**Jodhaa for a trait she despises in people.**  
Jodhaa hates shifty behavior. A person whose opinions change, sometimes with the wind, sometimes swifter than the wind itself is no person at all. And yet, as  _Rajkumar_ i, and then  _Malika-e-Hindustan_ , Jodhaa has to deal with more turncloaks than most.   
Jodhaa keeps her disdain tightly veiled. But it is there nonetheless.

 **Jalal for a thought that makes him sad.**  
Badi Ammi and Adham, without fail. Thoughts of Badi Ammi’s protection when Jalal was a child, of Adham being the brother he never had, thoughts of innocent child’s play, long before everything soured with the advent of adulthood and authority. Banu, too. Quiet, silent Banu, who used to hold Jalal close when he cried for parents that were not there. Banu who was sold off to Shariffuddin by Bairam Khan Baba, long before Jalal could counter him. And how can Khan Baba himself not make Jalal sad? His solid presence by Jalal’s side, his resolute  _wafaadari_.  
Yes, Jalal always felt sad when he thinks of those he lost, but he holds them close to his heart regardless.


	3. Jalal does not build Jodhaa's shrine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For @worddiva179 on tumblr.

1. “ _Jahanpanah_ , the promise you made is worthy, no doubt, but not feasible, I am afraid.” Khan Baba says sympathetically. 

Jalal frowns. “Why not?  _Rajkumari_  Jodhaa is  _Malika-e-Hindustan_ , Khan Baba. She is entitled to a token of my esteem.” 

“The  _Ulama_ have announced a revolt if this takes place. They have sworn to forswear the  _Kutba_  read in your name.”

Jalal starts. A rebellion of the  _Ulama_  would be fatal to his tenuous control on Hindustan. 

Jalal closes his eyes. Reconciled to what must be done. “We have no choice, Khan Baba. The shrine cannot be made.”

Indeed, it is not.

 

2\. Jodhaa does not show her rage in public, Jalal finds. Her rage is restrained, but palpable. Jalal can never forget the way her eyes burned him when he had told her of the situation. Jalal preserves for some time, hoping against hope that she would accept him.

She does not, and Jalal resigns himself to her silences.

 

3\. Jodhaa does not care for the Mughals’ decree. She continues to worship her Lord as best as she can in the oppressive  _Lal Qila._

One evening, she is disturbed while chanting the name of the Lord. By footsteps. 

Irate, Jodhaa opens her eyes, and  _he_  is there in front of her.  

“I wanted to-”

She cuts him off. “You have conquered people everywhere. Conquest is the only thing you have known. Let me tell you something,  _my lord._ Conquest and ruling are two different things. To rule, you have to know the heart of your people.” 

She turns her back on him.

 

4.  _To rule, you have to know the heart of your people_ , Jalal thought. What had she meant? Jalal did not know.

When in doubt, Jalal went to Khan Baba. But he felt oddly bashful this time. Nevertheless, he steeled his nerves and met Khan Baba. 

Khan Baba smiled, his eyes holding something that Jalal could not understand. “You do not know the life of ordinary people, Jahanpanah. Perhaps, that is what she meant.”

 _Yes_ , Jalal mused. She might have meant that, and it was true. But what could he do about it?

 

5\. Still musing on what Jodhaa had said, an idea suddenly struck Jalal.

And that was how Jalal and Todar Mal found themselves at Agra’s bazaar, being jostled by crowds.

That was where he learnt of the  _Tirth Yatra Mehsool._ Jalal was astonished that such a thing happened in his Kingdom, and even he had not known of it!

The moment he knew of the injustice that was the tax, he set to work, secure in the knowledge that taxes, thankfully, were administrative decisions, and the  _Ulama_ had no authority to rebel over them.

Not that  _Saadir Adassi Sahab_  was ready to listen.

Jalal was at the end of his patience, when a female voice interceded. His wife’s, soon joined by  _Badi Ammi’s_. Between the two of them, they made short work of the head of the Ulama, and the taxes were banned.

+1. The populace gave him all the adulation they felt he deserved. But Jalal knew that his wife was the source of this joy, and made it plain it was so. “The Empress is the woman behind this change,” he announced. She taught me what is ruling, he left unsaid.

Amidst the cheers, he held out a hand for her. Jodhaa took it and smiled.

Jalal smiled back.

Perhaps, there was still hope.


	4. Jodhaa- Religion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For @betza_99

**Jodhaa**

Prayers at the temple, Jodhaa attended long before she remembered any of them.  
Her religion was a polytheistic one, any God could be honored, learnt Jodhaa.  
Jodhaa did not bestow such honor on anyone, even God, lightly.   
So, just as Sujamal  _Bhai-sa_  trailed behind father for stories of heroes, Jodhaa followed mother. Asking all she could about the Gods.  
The Gods, Jodhaa thought, were rather peculiar. (She ignored a voice in her head that said  _Blasphemy!_ ) They all originated from woman, and yet, next to none respected his wife.  
Why so? A very irate and curious Jodhaa asked her mother, to which the redoubtable lady had no answer. To distract her daughter, she told the stories of Lord Krishna, the avatar of Lord Vishnu who took 16108 women to wife to save their honor. She talked of the friendship between Mohan and Draupadi, the way his divine  _leela_  had stopped his  _sakhi’s_  humiliation. She spoke of Satyabhama, the warrior Queen of Krishna, of Rukmini, no warrior, but formidable on her own nonetheless.  She spoke of how Krishna and his queens were equals and ruled together.  
Jodhaa looked at her mother with bright eyes, decided. Jodhaa would honor Lord Krishna above all others, for he did what even other Gods did not.


	5. Jodhaa- Friendly fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For @allegoriesinmediasres

Jodhaa’s salvation and her grief is wrought by the same thing: the strength of her emotions. Whatever she feels, love or hate, it is unconditional.

Jodhaa’s love wrought the single worst thing in her life: Her love for Bhai-sa, her trust and belief in him, led, indirectly, to his death.

If there is one thing that Jodhaa has done to hurt her family, it was that letter she wrote to Bhai-sa, the letter that caused so much hurt and pain, written in a moment of insecurity.

Even as Bhai-sa’s response to it showed the love and affection he held for her, she regretted it. 

But when Bhai-sa breathed his last, Jodhaa felt it was all her fault. All because of that one letter.


End file.
